24
Loved Everything About The Dauntless Youths Especially the Ending Scene
If Mei ChangSu and Prince Jing Reincarnated
What’s a Chinese *Bromance* story if the first male leads aren’t rescuing one another from certain death by slavery as an introductory overture, and the second CP doesn’t want to kill each other in public on sight?
Add to that an identity-redemption sub-plot in which a seemingly incurably ill Prince authorises his doppelgänger to represent him at a foreign Royal Court - a hotbed of scheming, swift repercussions for missteps, and daily death-defying bouts with the local supernatural elements, and it’s a struggle to not keep pressing next episode.
The main leads, Kun Wu and Jiang Wen Huan saved each other, defended each other, they sacrificed themselves for each other and they loved each other beyond a shadow of a doubt.
If you’re thinking this is what it would sound like if Mei ChangSu and Prince Jing reincarnated this is exactly what crossed my mind too.
The way this drama starts out - so light and sweet and romantic and comedic, I never thought we would find ourselves at the mercy of the unpredictable, nail biting finish it becomes. I watched with rapt attention and enjoyed deeply every single minute of every single episode and I’m sorry to see The Dauntless Youths come to an end.
- Major Themes - Major Messages -
Of course there’s brotherhood, family, friendship, sacrifice, but overlaying these are bigger messages such as what defines the search for a good life; anti-imperialism; collective liberation; the self determination of women as agents of their own lives; and the sovereignty of nations on equal terms.
- The Ending -
After everything we went through the ending scene was such a beautiful balm for the spirit and I’m overjoyed they chose to end it this way. That its this kind of ending it gives us not a closed door narratively, but rather an oasis of renewal no one could’ve expected, is what makes it an even more precious gift that it ended this way.
I thought the final episode would surely decimate me but the creators understand our emotional needs at the end of this journey of characters we have grown attached to, allowing us several opportunities to see our leading couple together, happily reminiscing on the milestones that led up to them having the relationship they do, and still overflowing with love and devotion for each other.
Even the goodbyes as the surviving friends return to their homes and their own destinies are done elegantly and faithful to the nature of their relationships throughout, without leaving us feeling bereft.
- Could’ve Done Without -
My criticisms are that there are a bit too many long soliloquies of narrative exposition in the last episode and there was some wildly inappropriate music here and there at the end, but aside from that I’m giving The Dauntless Youths a perfect 8.8.
It’s also going on my re-watch list.
Big round of applause for everyone who took part in making The Dauntless Youths such a wonderful and memorable experience for us to indulge ourselves so deeply into.
Well done to both cast and crew and I’m looking forward to seeing what else the Directors and Writers of this exceptional foray into ancient homoeroticism in an ocean of more highly publicised also-rans, have for us.
What’s a Chinese *Bromance* story if the first male leads aren’t rescuing one another from certain death by slavery as an introductory overture, and the second CP doesn’t want to kill each other in public on sight?
Add to that an identity-redemption sub-plot in which a seemingly incurably ill Prince authorises his doppelgänger to represent him at a foreign Royal Court - a hotbed of scheming, swift repercussions for missteps, and daily death-defying bouts with the local supernatural elements, and it’s a struggle to not keep pressing next episode.
The main leads, Kun Wu and Jiang Wen Huan saved each other, defended each other, they sacrificed themselves for each other and they loved each other beyond a shadow of a doubt.
If you’re thinking this is what it would sound like if Mei ChangSu and Prince Jing reincarnated this is exactly what crossed my mind too.
The way this drama starts out - so light and sweet and romantic and comedic, I never thought we would find ourselves at the mercy of the unpredictable, nail biting finish it becomes. I watched with rapt attention and enjoyed deeply every single minute of every single episode and I’m sorry to see The Dauntless Youths come to an end.
- Major Themes - Major Messages -
Of course there’s brotherhood, family, friendship, sacrifice, but overlaying these are bigger messages such as what defines the search for a good life; anti-imperialism; collective liberation; the self determination of women as agents of their own lives; and the sovereignty of nations on equal terms.
- The Ending -
After everything we went through the ending scene was such a beautiful balm for the spirit and I’m overjoyed they chose to end it this way. That its this kind of ending it gives us not a closed door narratively, but rather an oasis of renewal no one could’ve expected, is what makes it an even more precious gift that it ended this way.
I thought the final episode would surely decimate me but the creators understand our emotional needs at the end of this journey of characters we have grown attached to, allowing us several opportunities to see our leading couple together, happily reminiscing on the milestones that led up to them having the relationship they do, and still overflowing with love and devotion for each other.
Even the goodbyes as the surviving friends return to their homes and their own destinies are done elegantly and faithful to the nature of their relationships throughout, without leaving us feeling bereft.
- Could’ve Done Without -
My criticisms are that there are a bit too many long soliloquies of narrative exposition in the last episode and there was some wildly inappropriate music here and there at the end, but aside from that I’m giving The Dauntless Youths a perfect 8.8.
It’s also going on my re-watch list.
Big round of applause for everyone who took part in making The Dauntless Youths such a wonderful and memorable experience for us to indulge ourselves so deeply into.
Well done to both cast and crew and I’m looking forward to seeing what else the Directors and Writers of this exceptional foray into ancient homoeroticism in an ocean of more highly publicised also-rans, have for us.
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